The present invention relates generally to navigation systems, and specifically to techniques for providing information to and receiving information from navigation equipment over wireless communication media.
Navigational systems in vehicles provide easier ways to determine how to find a particular location. Further, such conventional navigation systems can assist the user in determining where the vehicle is at any time, making getting lost a thing of the past. While certain advantages are perceived with such conventional systems, opportunities for gaining further functionality and efficiency exist. For example, in conventional systems, it is still necessary to specify the desired location of interest to the navigation system using a manual input mechanism, for example. In such conventional systems, there is heretofore no reliable way to automatically specify location information to the navigational system.
What is really needed are techniques for providing navigation information and sharing navigational information with navigational systems.
According to the present invention, techniques for sharing and providing navigation information are provided. Embodiments according to the invention can exchange geographic location information between two or more devices using a wireless communications connection. Navigation information, including geographic locations, as well as information related to sites at the geographic locations can be stored by the various devices and exchanged in response to a specific request made by a user or a general upload/download process. Specific embodiments include systems, methods and apparatuses.
In a representative embodiment according to the present invention, a method for providing navigation information can comprise a variety of elements. For example, the method can comprise receiving at a first unit a selection of one or more geographic locations. The first unit can be a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a car navigation apparatus, or the like. The geographic locations can represent travel locations, for example. Establishing a communication connection between the first unit and a second unit, in which to forward the one or more geographic locations from the first unit to the second unit is also part of the method. The second unit can be a vehicle navigation system, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a portable computer, or a car navigation apparatus, for example. The communication connection can be a wireless communication connection according to a short range wireless communication protocol, or cellular protocols, or the like. In presently preferred embodiments, the wireless communication can be in accordance with any of Infrared Data Association (IRDA), Bluetooth, i-mode, and the like, for example. However, other communications protocols could be used in various embodiments readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, the method can include displaying at the second unit a map presentation, in which the one or more geographic locations are illustrated with respect to a position. The position related information for the map may be retrieved from a variety of sources. For example, a data base may store the position related information on a CD-ROM, a DVD, a DASD, or the like. In other embodiments, the position related information can be retrieved from a Global Positioning System (GPS), and the like.
In another representative embodiment according to the present invention, a method for providing navigation information is provided. The method can include establishing a wireless communications connection between a portable device and a car navigation unit, for example. The portable device can be a vehicle navigation system, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a portable computer, or a car navigation apparatus, for example. Then, responsive to establishing the wireless communications connection, searching at the car navigation unit for location information can be performed. The method also includes sending the location information to the portable device.
In a further representative embodiment according to the present invention, a method for providing navigation information is provided. The method can include establishing a wireless communications connection between a first portable device and another portable device, and establishing a wireless communications connection between the first portable device and a car navigation unit. The method can also include receiving at the first portable device information about one or more locations from the second portable device. Further, forwarding the information about the one or more locations from the first portable device to the car navigation unit can also be part of the method.
In a yet further representative embodiment according to the present invention, an apparatus for providing navigation information is provided. The apparatus can comprise a processor, a memory, a communication interface, a display, an input device, and a bus that interconnects the processor, the memory the communication interface, the display and the input device. When the input device receives a selection of one or more geographic locations stored in the memory, the communication interface establishes wireless communication with a second unit. Then, the processor forwards the geographic location information via the communication interface for display on a map presentation at the second unit.
In a still further representative embodiment according to the present invention, a method for providing navigation information is provided. The method can include establishing a first wireless communications connection between a first portable device and a radio station. The method can also include sending a program to save geographic location information from the server to the first portable device via the first wireless communications connection between the first portable device and the radio station. Establishing a second wireless communications connection between the first portable device and a second device and transferring geographic location information between the first portable device and the second device via the second wireless communications connection can also be part of the method. The program sent to the first device by the server is substantially similar to a program resident in the second device.
In a still yet further representative embodiment according to the present invention, a method of rendering transportation services to a geographic location is provided. The method can include receiving a customer into a vehicle. The vehicle can be a taxi, a privately owned car, a rental car, a bus or the like. The method also includes establishing a wireless communication connection between a first device, which corresponds to the customer, and a second device, which corresponds to the vehicle. The first device can be a vehicle navigation system, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a portable computer, or a car navigation apparatus, for example, but is a cellular telephone in a presently preferred embodiment. The second device can also comprise a vehicle navigation system, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a portable computer, or a car navigation apparatus, for example, but is a vehicle navigation system in a presently preferred embodiment. The method further includes selecting at the first device at least one geographic location that represents a desired destination for the customer. Then, the method includes receiving at the second device the at least one geographic location from the first device via the communications connection and displaying at the second device a map presentation that includes the at least one geographic location.
In specific embodiments, the invention can also provide methods of rendering transportation services to a geographic location. Such methods can include, for example, sending an indication of a fare due from the second device to the first device. In specific embodiments, the method can also include sending payment instructions from the first device to the second device. Payment instructions can include bank card information, and the like, for example. In some specific embodiments, the bank card information can by encrypted.
It is an object of specific embodiments according to the present invention to provide improved techniques for providing and sharing geographic information.
Numerous benefits are achieved by way of the present invention over conventional techniques. The present invention can provide embodiments in which users can communicate location information to a taxi driver with relatively greater precision than can be done verbally. In some specific embodiments provide users with the capability to communicate location information to many car navigation systems, such as navigation systems equipped to privately owned cars, taxis, rental cars, and the like. Further, in some specific embodiments, once a user has visited a place by bus or a taxi, the user can find the same place by privately owned car or by rental car using location information stored to the user""s cellular telephone, for example.
These and other benefits are described throughout the present specification. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention herein may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.